Introduction
Background to the Study
The Landscape Character Assessment coverage for Hampshire is one of the most developed in the country. The Borough-wide Landscape Character Assessment for Test Valley Borough Council was originally undertaken in 1996 and has served the borough well since that time. However, this document preceded the publication of Landscape Character Assessment: Guidance for England and Scotland 2002[1] and The Hampshire Landscape: a strategy for the Future in 2000. These two documents advance the requirements of modern Landscape Character Assessments in Hampshire towards a much greater integration of landscape, ecological, historical and cultural aspects of the landscape, and consideration of the significance of settlements within the landscape, and tranquillity. The importance of public participation was recognised and has since been developed in the county, largely based on the involvement of communities of interest and local communities of place groups.
1999 also saw the publication of the Hampshire Historic Landscape Assessment,which has informed Landscape Character Assessments undertaken by other districts since that time. Most recently, Hampshire County Council have looked in greater detail at the contribution of habitat diversity in informing landscape characterisation.
There was therefore a need to update the Test Valley Landscape Character Assessment, in line with current best practice and the approach taken by the County, Hampshire boroughs and districts and the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Countryside Agency and Hampshire County Council felt that ordinary members of the public were not as yet being adequately involved. The renewal of the Landscape Character Assessement provided an opportunity to pilot a new method of reaching the general public, combined with the need to bring Test Valley Borough’s landscape assessment up to date, in line with the new guidance and current practice within Hampshire.
The Test Valley Borough Landscape Character Assessment is a district wide assessment, which sits within the framework of the national and county Landscape Character Assessments and compliments the neighbouring district wide assessments. It is designed to support the emerging Borough Local Plan and the Main Report Volume 1 is to be adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance.